Looking for some major advice here. I have a problem with the sunroof surround peeling badly on my Vrs. The sunroof itself is completely fine and doesn't leak or anything, but the black surround looks real ugly and I'm looking to do something about it. I've had a good look around the forum but haven't come across anyone else with this problem. I guess the sunroof inst something you see much of? it's a pity as I have to say, I forgot how nice it is to have a sunroof! 

 

My options......

 

1. Mask the roof, sand the old black coating and the corrosion away being careful around the edge which is flush with the roof. Then prime and paint it with something....not sure what? Matt black colour but not sure what type of paint to use. 

 

2. Let an expert have a crack at it, maybe ask a detiailing guy to have a go? any ideas who could help? 

 

3. Take it down to a garage and see how much it will cost and what they might do. 

 

I don't particularly want to overspend on this as I'm already spending £400 on a new flywheel and clutch this month and I've got to look at the overall value of the car. However, I would be happy to spend a reasonable amount in order to get a good finish. 

 

For now I've put some silicone grease on the corroding bits in order to try and stop it getting any worse. 

 

I've attached the images below for you to have a look. 

 

btw, I'm based in Wimbledon if anyone knows someone in the area that could help. 

It looks like the paint/finish is pealing off so not much a detailer can do for you. If it was my car I would mask all around it with a good masking tape. Mask the glass too. Sand it back as much as possible with a sanding sponge and scotch brites. Spray it satain black with a rattle can which you will get in any motorfactors or halfords.

I reckon £20 for materials and a few hours of your time will have it like new.

Agreed with the concept of above but a word of caution pointless if you are only going to spray it with motor finishing paint, it will be too light and likely just come off in short order of time - not straight away but self defeating the time you would spend on it so may as well do properly.

 

It would help to know what kind of metal it is. From the pictures I would judge it as being somewhatmore of an alloy rather than steel ?

 

It would benefit with some kind of priming paint.

I wouldn't bother with paint skin type paint at all, if you can get the primer in black anyway.

I don't know if perhaps the stuff like you put on alloys might be best? (acid etch primer perhaps). Thats what I would do personally.

 

Anyway, hardly a major problem TBH, its not started to badly rot yet, but certainly good opportunity to do it now properly before winter to ensure the frame doesn't rot through and then cause you some major issues later.

Edited 29 August, 201312 yr by dominorising

Put dust sheets over most of the car before spraying, otherwise you may not be happy.

 

DB

Yes I forgot to mention primmer. You could use hammerite direct to metal spray or plasti dip either

Thank's for the replies guys. Looks like the best thing to do is for me to have a crack at this myself. I'm going to look at how to remove the sunroof glass I think, will make the job much easier. Will go down to the motor factors and see what type of paint I can get. You right there dominorising, it looks like an alloy of some sort. When I sand it back i will get a better idea and then I can choose the right paint.

 

You might be on to something there seanw....plasti dip might be a good option. The paint currently there is a thick coating but unlike plasti dip it's gone brittle and cracked off.

 

When I get round to it I will post some pics of the finished product. Will be in the next week or so I suspect before the weather turns bad!